Biddeford, Maine

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Image:City Hall Biddeford, ME 2005.JPG Biddeford is a city located in York County, Maine, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 20,942. A census for 2005 would reveal a population of around 22,000. Biddeford, which includes the resort community of Biddeford Pool, is home to the University of New England.

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History

Image:Drew's Mill, Biddeford, ME.jpg Biddeford is the site of the earliest recorded permanent settlement in Maine. In the winter of 1616-1617, Richard Vines, a physician, resided at "Winter Harbor," as he called Biddeford Pool. In 1630, the Plymouth Company granted the land to the south of "River Swanekaclocke," as the Saco River was then known, to Vines and John Oldham. In 1653, the town, which then included both sides of the river, was incorporated by the General Court of Massachusetts as "Saco." That same year, Roger Spencer was granted the right to build the first sawmill. Lumber and fish became the community's chief exports. In 1659, Major William Phillips of Boston became a proprietor, and constructed a garrison and mill at the falls.

During King Philip's War in 1675, the town was attacked by Indians. Settlers withdrew to "Winter Harbor" for safety, and their homes and mills upriver at the falls were burned. In 1693, a stone fort was built a short distance below the falls, but it was captured by the Indians in 1703, when 11 colonists were killed and 24 taken captive to Canada. In 1708, Fort Mary was built near the entrance to Biddeford Pool. The town was reorganized in 1718 as "Biddeford," after Bideford, a town in Devon, England from which some settlers had emigrated. After the Fall of Quebec in 1759, hostilities with the Indians ceased. In 1762, the land northeast of the river was set off as "Pepperellborough," which in 1805 would be renamed Saco.

Image:Mills, Biddeford, ME.jpg The first bridge across the Saco River was built in 1767. The river divides into two falls that drop 40 feet, providing water power for mills. Factories were established to make boots and shoes. Granite quarries and brickyards operated, in addition to lumber and grain mills. Major textile manufacturing facilities were constructed along the riverbanks, including the Laconia Company in 1845, and the Pepperell Company in 1850. Biddeford was incorporated as a city in 1855.

The mills attracted waves of immigrants, most notably French-Canadian workers from the province of Quebec. At one time the textile mills employed as many as 12,000 people, but as happened elsewhere in New England, the industry entered a long period of decline. Today, only one textile company, WestPoint Home, remains in Biddeford. The last log drive down the Saco River was in 1943, with the last log sawn in 1948. The prosperous mill town era, however, left behind some fine architecture, in particular City Hall and churches.

Biddeford's current mayor is Wallace Nutting, a retired four-star General. He is serving his second term, and is one of the few Republicans elected to office in the city in recent history.

Notable Inhabitants:

Historical Sites & Museums:

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Community facilities

Image:Saint Mary's School, Biddeford, ME.jpg Biddeford is home to major institutions including Southern Maine Medical Center and the University of New England, a fast-growing school located along the coast. The city also possesses a wide array of community facilities including public beaches, an ice arena, a full-service YMCA, and one school which has been recently recognized as “National Schools of Excellence”.

Anchoring Biddeford's historic downtown are McArthur Library and the City Theater for the Performing Arts.

Image:City Square Soldiers' Monument, Biddeford, ME.jpg Despite a lagging downtown, Biddeford is one of Maine's fastest-growing commercial centers, with strip-malls developing along the Maine State Route 111 corridor. In late 2006, a 500,000-square-foot shopping center known as "Shops at Biddeford Crossing" is slated to open, with 20 stores and 5 restaurants. With Portland 15 minutes to the north and the Massachusetts state line 45 minutes to the south, Biddeford is likely to see additional economic and residential growth.

Biddeford has three (3) post offices within its borders, with zip codes of 04005, 04006 and 04007.

Biddeford boasts almost 15 miles of frontage along the Saco River, and a spectacular coastline encompassed by the seaside neighborhoods of Hills Beach, Biddeford Pool, Fortunes Rocks and Granite Point. Biddeford provides some of the most scenic and least crowded shorefront in southern Maine.

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Geography

Image:Map of Maine highlighting Biddeford.pngBiddeford is located at 43°28'27" North, 70°26'46" West (43.474111, -70.446157)Template:GR. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 89.5 km² (34.5 mi²). 77.7 km² (30.0 mi²) of it is land and 11.7 km² (4.5 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 13.12% water.

Biddeford is bordered by the Saco River and the city of Saco to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the towns of Dayton and Lyman to the west, and the towns of Kennebunkport and Arundel (formerly known as North Kennebunkport until 1957) to the south. The Little River forms a portion of the border between Biddeford and the Goose Rocks neighborhood of Kennebunkport, in Biddeford's most southerly region (Granite Point).

Distances from Biddeford to regional cities:

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Demographics

Image:Pepperell Mills, Biddeford, ME.jpg As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 20,942 people, 8,636 households, and 5,259 families residing in the city. The population density was 269.4/km² (697.8/mi²). There were 9,631 housing units at an average density of 123.9/km² (320.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.65% White, 0.64% African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. 0.65% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,636 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.88.

Image:Lumber Company, Biddeford, ME.jpg In the city the population was spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,164 and the median income for a family was $44,109. Males had a median income of $32,008 versus $24,715 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,214. 13.8% of the population and 8.6% of families were below the poverty line. 19.8% of those under the age of 18 and 10.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. As of 2004, the median home price was $190,000.

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External links

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